


The Winter Kingdom - A collected History

by KingOfWinter



Series: The White Wolf Rises. [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2020-03-06 19:32:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18857650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingOfWinter/pseuds/KingOfWinter
Summary: The writings of Maester Artosia, in regards to the Kingdom of the North represented in The Fall of Dragons.





	1. Chapter 1

_The Winter Kingdom_

_A detailed History of the Northern Kingdom from 1A.C. to Cregan Stark's death in 209A.C._

_The Family Tree of House Stark in 300A.C._

_The Founding Families as of 300A.C._

_The Major Cadet Branches of House Stark as of 300A.C._

_The History of the Weirwood Warriors_

_The History of the Company of the Rose_

_The History of the Winter Wolves_

_The History of the White Eye_

_The Bloody Accords._

 

_By Maester KingOfWinter._


	2. A detailed History of the Northern Kingdom from 1A.C. to Cregan Stark's death in 209A.C.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A detailed History of the Northern Kingdom from 1A.C. to Cregan Stark's death in 209A.C.
> 
> By Maester KingOfWinter.

In 2B.C, Aegon Targaryen I landed at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush and began his conquest of Westeros, an event that would change the world forevermore. Arrayed against him, though not necessarily aligned, where the seven kingdoms. The seven rulers of these kingdoms were as follows:

  * Torrhen Stark, King in the North.
  * Ronnel Arryn, King of Mountain and Vale, a young boy whose mother, Sharra Arryn, ruled as Regent.
  * Harren Hoare, King of the Isles and the Rivers, known as Harren the Black.
  * Loren I Lannister, King of the Rock.
  * Mern IX Gardener, King of the Reach.
  * Argilac Durrandon, the Storm King, known as Argilac the Arrogant.
  * Meria Martell, Princess of Dorne, a blind, balding woman of 80. Known as the Yellow Toad.



Aegon had declared his intents in a letter he had sent to all of the seven kingdoms. The response he received from each differed. Harren Hoare and Argilac Durrandon were said to have laughed. Mern Gardener rushed up the Ocean Road to Casterly Rock to form an alliance with Loren Lannister. Ronnel Arryn bunkered down in his Eeyrie, while Meria Martell scoffed.

In the North though, the response was different. Torrhen called his banners, but it was his bastard brother, Brandon Snow, who saw the way this war would be fought. In Brandon’s writing’s in later life he wrote that dragons had changed the way warfare was fought in Essos, and if given the chance, they would change the way warfare was fought in the seven kingdoms as well.

When Aegon first landed in Westeros and began his conquest of the seven kingdoms, Brandon Snow, unlike everyone else believed him to be a threat. So he began to research how to kill dragons. No one knows if his research was right, but he believed he had found a way to kill dragons. Torrhen Stark marched south with 30,000 men to take on Aegon’s army. As is well documented by other Maesters, there Torrhen was greeted with three dragons and 45,000 men, more than he had brought with him.

Torrhen made a decision then, because he knew that even if his brother succeeded in killing the dragons, he would still have to stave off the larger Targaryen army, something he knew he would be unable to do. So he placed his people before his pride and bent the knee, earning the wroth of his bastard brother and all his sons.

Brandon, wroth with his brother, helped forge the peace process and then left, where to, no one knew. Many believed he had gone to gather the lords who did not want to bend the knee, but the moons passed and no one had heard nor seen of any trace of him. Torrhen mourned at the brother he had lost, and his sons mourned the uncle that had gone. Torrhen pushed on though, beginning his new role as Warden of the North.

More than three moons had passed since Torrhen had bent the knee, and Torrhen was holding court in Winterfell. On this particular day he was trying a man that had been accused of rape. In the middle of the proceedings the doors slammed open and in strode a strange man no one had seen before. His hair was as white as the snow which fell from the sky, and the pupils of his eyes were as red as the sap that dripped from the faces of the Weirwoods. Without a word he strode into the hall, grabbed the man by arm and began to drag him out of the hall. Those present were so surprised at the boldness of his actions, it took them a while to respond. He managed to make it to the door before being confronted. Ignoring the protests of the guards that went to stop him, he made his way to the godswood of Winterfell.

The court had followed him, their curiosity aroused by the strange albino that had interrupted proceedings so. With Torrhen that day were many of the great lords of the North including the Boltons, Umbers, Karstarks, Manderlys, Mormonts, Glovers, Dustins, Ryswells, Cerwyns, Tallharts, Hornwoods and the Reeds of the Neck. In the North to this day these houses are regarded as the founding families because of what they witnessed that day.

So this strange albino man had taken the rapist from the hall and dragged him before the heart tree of Winterfell. The court assembled to see what he was going to do, and when the man spoke Torrhen finally recognised him. His bastard brother had returned home. He gave a short speech of why the North had lost its crown. It was good, but it wasn’t memorable, indeed the words he spoke have been lost to time.

It was what he did next that became the stuff of legends within The North. He pulled out a dragonglass dagger and plunged it deep into the man’s belly and cut a jagged hole. Then he reached in with his bare hands and pulled out the man’s innards before throwing them into the boughs of the tree. Then he slit the struggling man’s throat, and left his corpse lying in front of the tree.

The court, which till now had remained silent in horror, surged forward determined to stop this madman.

What happened next is unknown to the Maesters, as there were no Maesters present, only the Lords of the founding families (See Founding Families for Reference.).

At the end of this however, it was agreed by most learned men that Brandon Snow had somehow managed to awaken the Old Gods from a slumber of over 3000 years, since before the days of Andal Supremacy beneath the Neck.

On the Isle of Faces, the Green Men ended their self-imposed exile and once again wandered the seven kingdoms, tending to the Weirwoods.

The Weirwoods themselves began to spring up again, and by 10A.C, weirwoods were naturally growing as far south as Riverrun. Furthermore, the Green Men reintroduced many ancient cutsoms that had been forgotten. These customs included sacrificing criminals to the Weirwood Trees, betrothals before Weirwood Trees, and the re-instating of dedicated orders of men who would tend and protect the Weirwood trees in the Green Men’s absecence.

Brandon Snow revealed what had happened to him during those 100 days in his two earliest texts, The Bloody Book, and the Blessed Book. The two books are often reffered to as the Books of the Bastard.

House Stark owns the only copies of these books, and no one except for the Lord of Winterfell and his heir are allowed to know of their location. The argument has been made that the books are hidden somewhere within the neck, though it is more likely that they are hidden within Winterfell somewhere.

The books both differ in what they are, and what they tell of.

The Bloody Book was Brandon’s plans for the North, and the powerful kingdom that he had seen. The Blessed Book was a recount of the visions that Brandon had been shown in his time of self-imposed exile, though where he had been for the 100 days Brandon never said. It is suspected that the entire recount of his exile is written within the Blessed Book, but no one outside of the direct line of House Stark can read them to verify this fact.

Regardless, Brandon Snow led an incredible life in the years after Aegon’s Conquest. Brandon was the man who found the existence of the Wolf’s Maw, and drew up the plans for it, as well as being the founder and designer of Mount Starpoint and the Weirwood Warriors (For further reference see Weirwood Warriors).

In 5A.C Brandon Snow had an argument with his brother over something unknown, and left for Braavos to found the Company of the Rose (For further reference see The Company of the Rose.)

Brandon died in 12A.C. at the age of 55 years. His body and belongings would be returned to Winterfell by his companions within the Company of the Rose. He would be buried in the Crypts of Winterfell, the only man never to bear the name Stark to do so. Five years later in 17A.C, Torrhen Stark would die, leaving Winterfell to his eldest son, Brandon Stark.

Torrhen’s two younger sons, Artos and Ellard would become the first lords of the Maw, Artos to the Saltsmaw and Ellard to the Riversmaw. These were the two first Stark cadet braches founded after the conquest. The Wolf’s Maw would be completed under Brandon Stark’s rule in 23A.C.

Brandon Stark was responsible for the creation of the pilot system of the Maw, and ensuring that smugglers, of which there were many, could not exploit the river. To date only one man has been successful in getting through the river without a pilot, Davos Seaworth in 280A.C.

Brandon also began what came to be known as the Great Survey, though this Survey was not completed until after his death in 49A.C. Brandon’s other great accomplishment was the beginning of the rebuilding of the Northern Fleet. He originally based the fleet out of White Harbour, and while it was only five ships, it was the shipyards he constructed to build them that left him with his moniker of ‘Brandon the Boat Builder.’

Brandon died in 49A.C. and the lordship of Winterfell passed to his eldest son, Walton. Walton ultimalty died a year later in 50A.C., fighting giants beyond the wall in the haunted forest. It is said that he slew two of them himself. It was the reason that he was beyond the wall that caused no end of grief for House Targaryen.

Walton had been pursuing mutineers of the wall who had been sent there by Jaehaerys the Conciliator after the failed uprising of the Faith Militant. Walton’s younger brother, and now Lord of Winterfell, Alaric, blamed Jaehaerys for his brother’s death and when Jaeheaerys visited Winterfell in 58A.C., Alaric took him to see his brother’s tomb.

Alaric, already a sour man, was further incensed when Alysanne demanded the New Gift be given to the Night’s Watch. He vehemently argued against it, and is said to have even threatened war over it. In the end he agreed to it, and while publicly no one ever acknowledged that he received compensation for it, many chests of Gold where seen heading up the newly made Kingsroad not long after.

Wether or not this gold train existed and was meant for Alaric is heavily debated in academic circles, but perhaps the most telling sign of the tales truth was when Alaric started construction on his own network of roads within the North. He built three main roads, aside from the Iron Throne funded construction of the King’s Road. One travelled from Winterfell to White Harbour, another from Winterfell to Barrowton, and the third from Winterfell to the Dreadfort and then onto Karhold.

Because of this Alaric was known as the Alaric “The Bridge Builder”. Lord Alaric died in 72 AC and was succeeded by his grandson, Edric Stark, as Alaric's two sons had preceded him in death.

Edric Stark had lived through the horrible winter of 59-60A.C., where much of the population had perished due to a lack of food. Edric Stark took the money the Starks were making off the Wolf’s Maw and put it towards developing the North’s capabilities for producing food.

One of the biggest hurdles he was greeted with immediately was the relatively low and scattered population levels within the North. The first thing Edric did was introduce what came to be known as the ‘Baby Tax’. In effect, the more children a man had the less he was taxed.

This level of tax led to a baby boom within the North in 73A.C. The Northern Maesters had to send for additional help from the Citadel they were that overwhelmed with the number of births that Northern women were experiencing. Most families in those days in the South numbered on average 6 people. In the North, their average became as high as 12 per family.

While the population was beginning to boom, Edric recognised that this gorwing population would need a growing and stable supply of food. Edric took out a loan from the Iron Bank in 74A.C., an undisclosed amount.

Edric’s bastard brother, Brandon Snow, was given a chunk of this money and sent to Ibben. He returned with a herd of shaggy coated cattle, which were accustomed to surviving in colder weather. Edric left Brandon in charge of developing these cattle into vast herds. Brandon brought back 100 cattle in 75A.C., and one bull. He began a process of crossbreeding with native northern cattle, and other cattle found in the lands beyond the wall. By his death in 105A.C., this herd had grown to well over 10000 heads. He had also supplemented his herds of cattle with a rapidly growing crowd of sheep as well, though this flock only numbered 4000.

Edric in the meantime had invested heavily in developing the countryside of the North. Edric brought in experts from the Reach, and sent his younger brother, Torrhen, far to the east in pursuit of exotic foods that could be grown in the North.

Torrhen had brought back rice seeds that he had brought from a trader in Qarth, which had gotten the seeds from Yi-Ti.

Torrhen experimented with the rice and found it grew incredibly well in the crannogs of the neck. This rice became a staple food of the neck over the next few years, and it became particularly valuable during winter as long as it was kept dry, it did not rot.

Edric also expanded the North’s farming of grain, oats and potatoes. One of Edric’s final acts was granting his younger brother, Torrhen Stark, a holdfast in the New Gift. Torrhen henceforth became Lord Northstark, and set his family up by focusing on farming the new gift.

Edric died in 101A.C, and was remembered as Edric ‘The Fattened Wolf’. He was succeded by his son, Ellard Stark.

Ellard Stark attended the great council of 101A.C., where he voted in favour of Rhaenyra Targaryen. Ellard mainly expanded upon his father’s plans, and died in 102A.C. after being thrown from his horse. Ellard was succeeded by Benjen Stark.

Benjen Stark was the Lord of Winterfell responsible for the construction of the Winter City. After the great population booms of the later early 70’s, the small Wintertown was bursting at the seams. Benjen Stark took some of his family’s wealth and greatly expanded the city. He brought in engineers from Myr and and architects from Braavos. They laid the outlines for a city that would eventually come to be regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Benjen did not live long however, and died in 110A.C., before his plans could come to fruition. Benjen was succeeded by his son, Rickon Stark who finished his fathers plans. When Rickon came to power, the North was in heavy debt from the previous lords building plans.

Rickon immediately began to work towards paying off these debts by introducing the Company tax. Many a man and woman was fighting in The Company of the Rose and bringing a small fortune back. Rickon put a tax on gold earned with company and also increased the charges of travelling the Wolf’s Maw.

Rickon also began funding trade expeditions that proved to be incredibly fruitful. By the time of Rickon’s death in 121A.C., the North would be debt free. Rickon gave a holdfast on the Stoney Shore to his brother, Bennard, Bennard founded House Seastark, and used the wealth he had on his own to buy himself a small fleet of ships.

Rickon was succeeded by his son, Cregan Stark, one of the most famous Lords of Winterfell to have ever lived, though not all for good reasons.

Cregan’s rule began when he was only thirteen. His uncle, Bennard Seastark, offered to act as his regent, but Cregan refused and determined that he would rule without a regent before he had reached his majority. His uncle chafed this, but Cregan was resolute, and called on the formidable lords of the Maw to support him. They did, and Bennard returned to his holdfast, bitter at his nephew.

Cregan had a vision for the North he wanted to build, and the first thing this involved was exploiting a wealth that Cregan believed the North had undervalued. Cregan brought miners in from the Westerlands and began to mine deep into the Northern Mountain chain.

To say Cregan found a mountain of wealth is an understatement. Cregan found a mountain range of wealth. The mountains were fit to bursting with precious gems and metals. Cregan appointed his uncle’s son, Barthogan, to oversee the mining of the minerals in an effort to repair their relationship. It worked, and in 126A.C., Barthogan Stark would found House Oakenstark.

House Oakenstark is the only cadet branch of the North to have an ancestral blade. It is a single edged sword with a curved pommel that most resembles a falchion. It is made of Valyrian Steel and named _Orcrist._

Interestingly, House Oakenstark seems to have inherited a gene for dwarfism from either Barthogan Oakenstark or his wife. Since the house’s inception in 126A.C., all the children of the direct line have been dwarves, right up until today, with Thorin Oakenstark also being a dwarf. This dwarfism has not affected their ability as warriors, and Thorin, as of writing, is widely regarded as one of the best warriors within the North.

Lord Cregan Stark continued his fortification of the North, and his advancements into the Northern Mountains, until 129A.C., when the Dance of Dragons began with the death of Viserys Targaryen II.

Upon the death of King Viserys I Targaryen, Prince Jacaerys Velaryon flew to Winterfell on his dragon Vermax to gain the support of the Starks and the north for his mother Rhaenyra Targaryen's claim to the Iron Throne. The alliance, known as the Pact of Ice and Fire, stated that a Targaryen princess, the future firstborn daughter of Jacaerys, would marry his son Rickon. It also stated that the New Gift would be returned. Cregan pledged his support to the blacks during the Dance of the Dragons.

Lord Roderick Dustin commanded the first host of northmen who marched south, known as the Winter Wolves, men who feared a long winter. They were followed by a larger host led by Lord Cregan, many of these men were childless, homeless, unwed, or younger sons marching to war to spare their families from supporting them in winter. Cregan's host was denied combat, however, by the poisoning of King Aegon II Targaryen. Lord Stark had intended to punish the leaders of Aegon II's greens, but Lord Corlys Velaryon had already sent envoys seeking peace.

Cregan held court at King's Landing for six days, a time known as the Hour of the Wolf. Acting in the name of the eleven-year-old boy king Aegon III Targaryen, who named him Hand of the King, Cregan had twenty-two men arrested for the murder of Aegon II, among them Lord Larys Strong and Corlys Velaryon. Cregan Stark served as Hand for a day, presiding over the trials and executions. Most of the accused, led by Ser Perkin the Flea, agreed to join the Night's Watch, but Ser Gyles Belgrave of the Kingsguard and Larys the Clubfoot chose death.

Cregan had been informed that Aegon would not live up to the Pact of Ice and Fire, and was said to have been greatly wrathful. He demanded that Aegon provided some other form of compensation. Aegon asked him what he wanted, and Cregan demanded gold. Aegon is rumoured to have said to Cregan that “you can take what you can carry in your own hands.”

Cregan left the king’s solar and returned an hour later and accepted the terms. Aegon and Cregan walked to the vaults, which incidentally lay below the level of the river. Aegon opened the vaults and invited Cregan to take as much as he could carry. Cregan nodded, but did not enter. An hour later, many of Cregan’s gaurds showed up carting building supplies.

Aegon asked Cregan what they were doing and Cregan is said to have replied, “Ensuring that I can carry as much as possible.”

The soldiers built a large container and filled it with as much gold as they could. In the end, they managed to fit almost half the vault into their container. Cregan nodded at this point and placed his hands on the container, before telling his men to continue.

His guards took the young king and brought him back to the surface. Aegon is rumoured to have repeatedly asked what was going on, but no one answered him. The next thing anyone heard was a tremendous crash and a part of the river sunk inwards.

Within the vault, the water poured in and swept the container and Cregan away, along with any gold that wasn’t in the container.

Cregan was found a day later in the middle of the bay, still clutching the container that held his gold.

Lord Stark resigned as Hand the following day and returned to the north.

Cregan spent the rest of his life working on establishing the Winter Wolves (Refer Winter Wolves) and restoring the partially restored ruins of Moat Cailin. When Cregan died in 209A.C., he was 101 years of age.

Cregan, “The Old Man of the North,” was succeeded by his son, Barthogan Stark.

Barthogan and all his descendants continued to build upon and fortify the plans of the previous Lords of Winterfell, beginning nothing new, though Willam Stark was said to have engaged in an expensive horse breeding program.

At the time of Rickard’s Rebellion the North could muster 140,000 troops and a navy of 200 ships.


	3. The Family Tree of House Stark in 300A.C.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Family Tree of House Stark in 300A.C.
> 
> By Maester KingOfWinter

HOUSE STARK

House Stark trace their descent from Brandon the Builder and the ancient Kings of Winter, a line that is more than 8000 years old. For thousands of years they ruled from Winterfell as Kings in the North, until Torrhen Stark, the King Who Knelt, chose to swear fealty to Aegon rather than give battle. Torrhen’s bastard brother, Brandon Snow, disagreed with his brother’s decision and swore to leave. He left and no one knew where he went for a short while. He returned 100 days later and set in motion events that would see the north rise to become one of the most rich and powerful regions within the world. Their blazon is a grey direwolf on an ice-white field. The Stark words are Winter Is Coming.

RICKARD STARK, Lord Of Winterfell, Warden of The North. He stepped down from his duties in the aftermath of Rickard’s Rebellion and left for lands unknown.

  * His wife, {LADY LYARRA}, also of house Stark



 

  * His eldest son, {BRANDON STARK}, died from wounds he sustained in his escape from King’s Landing. 
    * His bastard son, ROBB SNOW, born in 284A.C, begotten on CATELYN TULLY.
  * His second eldest son, EDDARD STARK, now ruling as Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. 
    * His wife, LADY ASHARA, of house Dayne. She currently resides in Winterfell with Eddard Stark, and has taken over the duties of the Lady of Winterfell. 
      * Their son, JON STARK, born in 284A.C.
      * Their second son, ARTOS STARK, born in 286A.C.
      * Their eldest daughter, ARYA STARK, born in 289A.C, twin to DYANNA STARK.
      * Their youngest daughter, DYANNA STARK, born in 289A.C, twin to ARYA STARK
      * Their youngest daughter, LYARRA STARK, born in 291A.C.
      * Their youngest son, ALARIC STARK, born in 294A.C.
    * His only daughter, {LYANNA STARK}, died in the birthing bed in the Tower of Joy. Gave birth to a baby girl, stillborn.
    * His youngest son, BENJEN STARK, now HARDSTARK, ruler of Hardhome and Lord Beyond the Wall.



 

  * His household in Winterfell 
    * MARTYN CASSEL, Captain of the Guards. Was trained as a Winter Wolf in Mount Starpoint, spent time serving with the Company of the Rose. 
      * His son, JORY CASSEL
      * His brother, RODRIK CASSEL
    * VAYON POOLE, Chief Steward.
    * MIKKEN, The Master Smith.
    * Maester LUWIN, born and raised in the North before going to the Citadel, he is famous for the forging of his Valyrian Steel link through warging with the Ravens in the Citadel. A learned and respected man, though young, shows promise. Replaced Maester WALYS FLOWERS.




	4. The Founding Families as of 300A.C.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Founding Families as of 300A.C.
> 
> By Maester KingOfWinter

  * His Bannermen, those of the founding families.



 

  * HOUSE BOLTON – Former Kings who lost their crown during the Stark’s conquest of the North and infamous for the flayed man displayed on their banners. House Bolton has served House Stark loyally since Aegon’s conquest, though before then there was many a Bolton rebellion.
  * Lord ROOSE BOLTON, Lord of the Dreadfort. 
    * His wife, LADY BETHANY, of House Ryswell. 
      * Their son, DOMERIC BOLTON, a young boy who has already shown an affinity for the harp.



 

  * HOUSE UMBER – One of the oldest houses in the North, and considered some of House Stark’s most loyal bannermen. Umber’s are also famous for their stints with The Company of the Rose, indeed it seems to be a prerequisite for lordship there. Every Lord Umber has served for at least one year in The Company, though none have ever served as Captain General.
  * Lord JON ‘GREATJON’ UMBER, Lord of Last Hearth. 
    * His wife, KAYTE, a wildling he ‘stole’ on a stint north of the wall with the Winter Wolves 
      * Their eldest son, JON ‘SMALLJON’ UMBER, heir to Last Hearth.
      * Their second eldest son, HOARFROST UMBER.
      * Their third eldest son, BRANDON UMBER
      * Their eldest daughter, SERENA UMBER
      * Their youngest daughter, ARRANA UMBER



 

  * HOUSE KARSTARK – A house of distant relation to House Stark, and the oldest and most powerful of all the cadet houses. Greatly respected throughout the North, the Karstarks have the ear of many of the Cadet houses. When a marriage with house Stark is unavailable it is often to house Karstark that Lord’s turn.
  * Lord RICKARD KARSTARK, Lord of the Karhold. 
    * His wife, UNKNOWN, 
      * Their eldest son, HARRION KARSTARK, heir to the Karhold.
      * Their second eldest son, TORRHEN KARSTARK.
      * Their third eldest son, EDDARD KARSTARK.
      * The only daughter, ALYS KARSTARK.



 

  * HOUSE MANDERLY – A house that originated in the Reach, and one of the few houses in the North that still holds to the Seven, though since the days of Bloody Brandon many a southern septon has considered them to be worshipers of the Old Gods, and while this may not be true, they certainly hold a healthy respect for them.
  * Lord WYMAN MANDERLY, Lord of White Harbour, Warden of the White Knife, Shield of the Faith, Defender of the Dispossessed, Lord Marshal of the Mander and Knight of the Order of the Green Hand. 
    * His wife, unknown. 
      * Their eldest son, WYLIS MANDERLY, Heir to White Harbour. 
        * His wife, LADY LEONA, of House Woolfield. 
          * Their eldest daughter, WYNAFRED MANDERLY.
          * Their youngest daughter, WYLLA MANDERLY.
        * Their youngest son, WENDEL MANDERLY, currently serving with the Company of the Rose.



 

  * HOUSE MORMONT – The house that rules over Bear Island, and producers of some of the fiercest fighters in all of the North. Many of The Company’s women warriors came from here, and one of the captains, MAEGE MORMONT, is the aunt of the current Lord of Bear Island.
  * Lord JORAH MORMONT, Lord of Bear Island. 
    * His first wife, an unknown lady of House Glover. No issue.
    * His second wife, LADY LYNESSE, of House Hightower. 
      * Their eldest son, JEOR MORMONT, heir to Bear Island.
      * Their only daughter, ASHARA MORMONT.
      * Their youngest son, GARTH MORMONT.



 

  * HOUSE GLOVER – The Glovers ruled as First Men kings after the Long Night, but they were eventually reduced to vassals by the Kings of Winter from House Stark. Benton Glover served as First Ranger when Queen Alysanne Targaryen visited the north in 58 AC. The Glovers aided Lord Cregan Stark in hunting down the free folk raiders of Sylas the Grim.
  * Lord GALBART GLOVER, Master of Deepwood Motte. 
    * His brother and heir, ROBETT GLOVER 
      * His wife, LADY SYBELLE, of House Locke. 
        * Their eldest son, GAWEN GLOVER.
        * Their eldest daughter, ERENA GLOVER.
      * His bastard son, LAURENCE SNOW.



 

  * HOUSE DUSTIN - The Dustins claim descent from the First King of the First Men and the Barrow Kings of the barrowlands who ruled after him. When the last Barrow King submitted to House Stark of Winterfell at the end of the Thousand Years War, the King of Winter took his daughter for wife. House Dustin's claims of shared blood and descent from the Barrow Kings is regarded as truth. Barrowton has prospered under the Dustins, who have loyally ruled the barrowlands for the Starks.
  * Lord WILLAM DUSTIN, Lord of Barrowton. 
    * His wife, LADY BARBAREY, of House Ryswell. 
      * Their son, MARK DUSTIN, heir to Barrowton.



 

  * HOUSE RYSWELL - House Ryder were First Men kings who ruled the Rills and eventually submitted to House Stark, the Kings of Winter from Winterfell. It is unknown how or when House Ryswell came to rule the Rills, although King Theon Stark once put down a rebellion in the Rills.
  * Lord RODRICK RYSWELL, Lord of The Rills. 
    * His wife, UNKOWN. 
      * His eldest daughter, {LADY BETHANY}, married to ROOSE BOLTON. 
        * Her son, DOMERIC BOLTON.
      * His second eldest daughter, LADY BARABAREY, married to WILLAM DUSTIN. 
        * Her son, MARK DUSTIN.
      * His eldest son, ROGER RYSWELL, Heir to the Rills.
      * His second eldest son, RICKARD RYSWELL, currently serving with the Winter Wolves.
      * His third eldest son, ROOSE RYSWELL.



 

  * HOUSE CERWYN - Is a noble house from the north. They are one of the closest bannermen to the Starks, Castle Cerwyn being just a half day's ride from Winterfell, and are among the most powerful as well.
  * Lord MEDGER CERWYN, Lord of Cerwyn. 
    * His wife, UNKOWN. 
      * His eldest daughter, JONELLE CERWYN.
      * His eldest son, CLEY CERWYN, heir to Cerwyn.



 

  * HOUSE TALLHART – An old house.
  * Lord HELMAN TALLHART, Master of Torrhen’s Square. 
    * His wife, UNKOWN. 
      * His eldest son, BENFRED TALLHART, heir to Torrhen’s Square.
      * His eldest daughter, EDDARA TALLHART.



 

  * HOUSE HORNWOOD - The lands of the house, which include the forest of the Hornwood and other castles beside Hornwood, border those of House Bolton and House Manderly. The Hornwoods' lands extend west to the White Knife. Their ruler is known as the Lord of the Hornwood.
  * Lord HALYS HORNWOOD, Lord of the Hornwood. 
    * His wife, LADY DONELLA, of House Manderly. 
      * Their only son, DARYN HORNWOOD, Heir to the Hornwood.
    * His bastard son, LARENCE SNOW.



 

  * HOUSE REED - is a noble house from Greywater Watch, and one of the principal families in the north. They rule the crannogmen, small men who live in swamps and marshes in the Neck.
  * Lord HOWLAND REED, Lord of Greywater Watch. He accompanied Rickard and Eddard Stark to the Tower of Joy, and is considered one of Eddard Stark’s closest friends. 
    * His wife, LADY JYANNA, of House Blackmyre. 
      * His eldest daughter, MEERA REED.
      * His eldest son, JOJEN REED.




	5. The Major Cadet Branches of House Stark as of 300A.C.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Major Cadet Branches of House Stark as of 300A.C.
> 
> By Maester KingOfWinter

CADET BRANCHES OF HOUSE STARK

 

SEASTARKS

               LANDS: Located on the Stoney Shore

               CASTLE: Shoreview, a castle, with a small town and port.

               MAIN COMMODITIES: Fish, Beef, Grain, Trade

               WORDS: “Fear the Sea”

               HOUSEHOLD:

  * Lord CREGAN SEASTARK, Lord of Shoreview. 
    * His wife, LADY ALYS SEASTARK, 
      * Their eldest son and heir, THEON SEASTARK.
      * Their eldest daughter, YMME SEASTARK.



 

SKASTARKS

               LANDS: Located in Skagos

               CASTLE: Skahold, set high in the mountains of Skagos, said to be bordering on inhospitable.

               MAIN COMMODITIES: Fish, Stone, Timber, Iron.

               WORDS: “Strong as skag.”

               HOUSEHOLD:

  * Lord RODRICK SKASTARK



 

FLINTSTARKS

               LANDS: Widow’s Watch

               CASTLE: Widow’s Watch

               MAIN COMMODITIES: Fish, Beef, Grain

               WORDS: “We make wives into widows.”

HOUSEHOLD:

  * Lord RODRICK FLINTSTARK, 
    * His wife, LADY LYANNA, of House Woolfield 
      * Their daughter, BARBARY FLINTSTARK,
      * Their son, ETHAN FLINTSTARK,
      * Their daughter, LYARRA FLINTSTARK,
      * Their son, CREGAN FLINTSTARK.



 

HELLSTARKS

               LANDS: Located in the Sheepshead Hills.

               CASTLE: Hellhold.

               MAIN COMMODITIES: Furs, Timber, Iron.

               WORDS: “Filling Hell’s halls.”

               HOUSEHOLD:

  * Lord BENTON HELLSTARK 
    * His bastard son, BENTON SNOW



 

 

RIVERSTARKS

               LANDS: Riversmaw, located on the Western side of the Wolf’s Maw.

               CASTLE: Riversmaw.

MAIN COMMODITIES: Trade

WORDS: “We hold the Maw.”

               HOUSEHOLD:

  * Lord CREGAN RIVERSTARK 
    * His wife, LADY GWYN, of House Hellstark. 
      * Their son, BRANDON RIVERSTARK
      * Their son, RICKON RIVERSTARK



SALTSTARKS

               LANDS: Saltsmaw, located on the Eastern side of the Wolf’s Maw.

               CASTLE: Saltsmaw.

               MAIN COMMODITIES: Trade, Salt, Fish.

               WORDS:  “Thou shall not pass.”

               HOUSEHOLD:

  * Lord BERON SALTSTARK 
    * His wife, LADY ALYS, of house Riverstark. 
      * His daughter, EDDARA SALTSTARK
    * His bastard son, TORRHEN SNOW, begotten on an unknown woman.



 

NORTHSTARKS

               LANDS: Located in the New Gift.

               CASTLE: Northmen’s Hall.

               MAIN COMMODITIES: Timber, Furs, Grain, Meat.

               WORDS: “In the walls shadow, we watch.”

               HOUSEHOLD:

  * Lord KARLON NORTHSTARK. 
    * His wife, LADY JOANNA, of House Mallister. 
      * Their son, JON NORTHSTARK
      * Their daughter, SANSA NORTHSTARK
      * Their daughter, ROSLIN NORTHSTARK
    * His bastard son, JORGE SNOW



REDSTARK

               LANDS: Located in the Stoney Shore

               CASTLE: Red Square.

               MAIN COMMODITIES: Fish, Timber, Beef.

               WORDS: “Let the Rivers run Red.”

               HOUSEHOLD:

  * Lord THEON REDSTARK. 
    * His wife, LADY SERENA, of House Bloodstark. 
      * Their daughter, BERNADETTE REDSTARK



 

DARKSTARKS

               LANDS: Located in the Rills.

               CASTLE: The Darkfort

               MAIN COMMODITIES: Horses, grain, beef.

               WORDS: “Leading from the front.”

               HOUSEHOLD:

  * Lord {ELDRIC DARKSTARK}, killed in King’s Landing by Aerys, a respected horseman. 
    * His wife, UNKNOWN. 
      * His son, EDRIC DARKSTARK, born in 282A.C.
    * His brother, JAREMY DARKSTARK, acting lord of The Darkfort.



 

WHITESTARKS

               LANDS: Located in the Northern Mountains.

               CASTLE: Greywall Hall.

               MAIN COMMODITIES: Gold, Jewels, Silver, Iron.

               WORDS: “Beware my fangs.”

               HOUSEHOLD:

  * Lord ALARIC WHITESTARK. 
    * His wife, LADY ARYA, of House Norrey. 
      * Their son, RICKARD WHITESTARK.
      * Their son, BRANDON WHITESTARK.
      * Their son, TORRHEN WHITESTARK.
      * Their son, BARTHOGAN WHITESTARK.
      * Their son, GREGOR WHITESTARK.
      * Their son, OSRIC WHITESTARK.
      * Their son, DAVOS WHITESTARK.
    * His bastard son, ELLARD SNOW.
    * His bastard son, DONNARD SNOW.
    * His bastard son, MARTYN SNOW.
    * His bastard son, ROBARD SNOW.
    * His bastard son, WIL SNOW.
    * His bastard son, QHORIN SNOW.
    * His bastard son, THEON SNOW.



 

BLOODSTARKS

               LANDS:

               CASTLE: Bloody Hall

               MAIN COMMODITIES: Iron Ore, Timber, Furs.

               WORDS: “Blood will be spilled.”

               HOUSEHOLD:

  * Lord EDDARION BLOODSTARK. 
    * His wife, UNKNOWN. 
      * His son, RAMSAY BLOODSTARK
    * His bastard son, BRANDON SNOW.



 

STARKSTARKS

               LANDS: Located on Cape Kraken

               CASTLE: Autumnfell

               MAIN COMMODITIES: Fish, Sheep, Grain.

               WORDS: “Winter has come.”

               HOUSEHOLD:

  * Lord TORRHEN STARKSTARK 
    * His wife, LADY BERENA, of House Starkstarkstark. 
      * Their son, JON STARKSTARK.
      * Their son, ARTOS STARKSTARK.



 

STARKSTARKSTARK

               LANDS: Located on Cape Kraken

               CASTLE: Springfell.

               MAIN COMMODITIES: Fish, Sheep, Grain.

               WORDS: “Winter is going.”

               HOUSEHOLD:

  * BRANDON STARKSTARKSTARK 
    * His wife, LADY GILLIANE, of House Starkstark. 
      * Their son, EDDARD STARKSTARKSTARK.
      * Their son, BENJEN STARKSTARKSTARK.



 

OAKENSTARKS

               LANDS: Located within the Northern Mountains.

               CASTLE: Lonely Mountain

               MAIN COMMODITIES: Gold, Precious Gems, Silver.

               WORDS: “If this is to end in fire, then we will all burn together.”

               ANCESTRAL SWORD: Orcrist, forged of Valyrian Steel.

HOUSEHOLD:

  * Lord {DURIN OAKENSTARK} killed in King’s Landing by Aerys. 
    * His wife, UNKOWN. 
      * Their son, Lord {THRAIN OAKENSTARK} 
        * His wife, UNKOWN 
          * Their son, THORIN OAKENSTARK, a dwarf, and formidable warrior, the wielder of his family’s ancestral blade, Orcrist. His helm is also set with the brilliant Arkenstone, the greatest gem found within Lonely Mountain, composed of unknown substances.




	6. The History of the Weirwood Warriors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The History of the Weirwood Warriors
> 
> By Maester KingOfWinter

THE WEIRWOOD WARRIORS

The Weirwood Warriors were founded in 1A.C by The Bloody Blessed Bastard. After his actions in Winterfell Brandon left Winterfell with only one other man, the younger brother of the then Lord Hornwood. The two spent the next few months travelling the North gathering and selecting men. Brandon never indicated what his critea was for his companions, though his Hornwood companion worte years later that Brandon was able to look at a man and see into the depths of his soul. He said that many a man who spent days with Brandon were rejected while others he would only have to glance at to accept. Whatever the criteria, over the next five months he gathered a host of 300 men, all of whom were wargs.

Brandon took these men and led them deep into the Northern Mountains. He stopped at one particularly formidable looking mountain set in the middle of a Valley and is said to have told his men that “Upon this rock we will build an empire.”

From there, Brandon spent the next three years with his men carving the mountain away and forging it into Mount Starpoint. The entire entrance was completed within one year, an incredible feat for the 300 men. With the entrance to the Mountain complete, Brandon sent word to his brother to come.

It is said that when Torrhen Stark received the news he left immediately, such was his eagerness to see what his brother had found. He arrived within the month and together the brothers entered the crack in the mountains face.

No one went in with the pair, though when they emerged Torrhen’s face was said to be “rapturous”. They had found a fallen star, buried beneath a mountain. The greatest miracle though was when they had reached the Mountain’s summit through interior passages and found a Weirwood grove of 90 trees. This was the largest concentration of Weirwoods in one spot that man knew of.

Brandon took this as a sign from the gods and took his sword and chipped away a sizeable chunk of the Starsteel from the fallen star. He returned to the grove and forged the steel into a blade, _Harbinger,_ a blade that has been passed from Lord Commander to Lord Commander until this very day.

At this point Brandon continued to expand and grow his Weirwood Warriors as he called them. They were a great secret within the North, with only those who were in the ranks actually knowing the true strength and purpose of the group.

In 5A.C. Brandon resigned as Lord Commander, the only one in history to do so, and left to found the Company of the Rose. He handed Harbinger to his faithful companion, Lord Hornwood’s younger brother, Hullen.

Hullen Hornwood continued to shape and forge the Weirwood Warriors into the elite fighting force they would become over the next 280 years. It was Hullen Hornwood who set up the elite training program that the Weirwood Warriors went through, though most of these he based off detailed notes left to him by Brandon Snow.

Training for the 300 never began, instead they were used to train the next generation of Weirwood Warriors. Training began at five years of age when the candidates were selected by the Green men who had ended their centuries of exile upon the Isle of Faces.

The Green men would escort the young boys to Mount Starpoint where they would begin a rigorous regime that included training in the sword, bow, lance, and fists. This training would continue everyday for five years, and the young boys would also be taught by the Green men on how to tend to the weirwoods and the sacred laws of gods and men. When the boys reached 10 years of age they would be sent into the wolfswood alone, with only the clothes on their back. They were told not to return until they had found themselves a wolf companion.

Every boy managed to complete this, though some did it quicker than others and others did it more successfully than others. The most successful boy to go through this process was a peasant boy who was only known as ‘Hal.’ Hal returned within three days of his depature and in the company of two wolves and a bear.

The next stage of their training involved bonding with the creature to the point where every action they made with the creature was instinctual, where man and beast where of one mind, but two bodies. This stage of the training would end when they passed a test set by the Green men.

When they passed this test, they were then subjected to a gruelling physical exam. The exam involved being dropped off beyond the wall alone, without weapons and having to return to Mount Starpoint. The next stage involved fighting the Lord Commander himself, before another test where their proficiencies with each weapon would be tested.

When they had past all the test, they would finally be allowed to forge their Starsteel blades, and be fitted with their bronze and steel armour. To forge the blades the men were sent into the heart of the mountain to mine their own Starsteel. They would then return with their bounty and forge their blade. This blade would be unique to every Weirwood Warriors, as they forged it with their own hands and when they died it would be returned into the mountain, along with the bodies as they were dropped into the mountains volcanic chamber.

The training methods of the Weirwood Warriors were drawn from all over the world. Weirwood Warriors are required to be able to shoot from horseback like Dothraki, fight with the discipline of the Unsullied and the cohesion of the lockstep legions of Old Ghis. They must also wield their blades like those of the kingsguard and wield a lance like a Darkstark. They are the most elite fighting force in the world because of this training.

The Weirwood Warriors first saw real conflict in Rickard’s Rebellion and acquitted themselves brilliantly, defeating Lord Randyll Tarly’s host of 20,000 men with only 3000 men. Their current Lord Commander is Roderick Walton.


	7. The History of the Company of the Rose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The History of the Company of the Rose
> 
> By Maester KingOfWinter.

THE COMPANY OF THE ROSE

The Company of the Rose was founded in 5A.C by The Bloody Blessed Bastard himself. Brandon Snow had left Winterfell a few months previous after a very heated public argument with his brother, though to this day no one knows what the argument was about. Some suggest that Brandon was renewing his push for the Stark’s to declare independence, though this does not match with Brandon’s writing in later life, nor from his writings within the Books of The Bastard. Those texts suggested that the North would not gain independence until well after Brandon was dead, something he acknowledged publicly when he executed the rapist in Winterfell.

Whatever the case of the argument, it ended with Brandon handing his brother his new Starsteel blade, _Harbinger_ , and resigning from his position as Lord Commander of the Weirwood Warriors.

With just under 5000 men who were loyal to him, Brandon headed for White Harbour and took a ship to Braavos. Brandon never returned to Westeros and died in Braavos many years later. His corpse was returned to Winterfell upon his death, and out of respect for the Bloody Blessed Bastard, he was buried in the crypts beneath Winterfell. He is the only man to have never borne the name Stark to be buried in those crypts.

During his time in Braavos however, before he died, he forged his 5000 companions into an efficient fighting force, though the Company didn’t become the juggernaut it is today, until many years later when it was under the command of Captain General Brandon Bloodstark.

Brandon and his original 5000 first saw conflict in the war between Braavos and Lorath in 6A.C. They fought well, though didn’t distinguish themselves through any major offensives. The war ended with Lorath’s defeat, and The Company left with a respectable sum paid by Braavos. Around the same time war sprung up in the disputed lands, so Brandon led his men on a march south from Braavos, past Pentos and into the disputed lands. Interestingly, The Company did not officially take a side, instead attacking and raiding who they pleased, though when a Myrish defeat looked inevitable they joined the coalition that marched on Myr. While with the coalition they were present at the sack of Myr, and gathered even more wealth.

With the war disputed lands ended, The Company once again found itself out of work, though thanks to their recent campaigns, they had a large quantity of gold.

Brandon led his men back to Braavos where they brought a manse and set it up as the headquarters of The Company. The next three years were relatively quiet for The Company, but in the turn of the tenth year of A.C, conflict sprung up again. Pentos has declared war on Braavos and was sailing an armada into the shivering sea.

Almost immediately upon word of the approaching force the then Sealord of Braavos called Brandon into his palace and brought the services of the company. He charged Brandon with holding the hills against pentoshi infantry until Braavos could defeat the Pentoshi armada and attack Pentos from the sea.

Brandon’s company grown in the last five years as many Northmen saw it as an alternative way of seeking honour and glory rather than Nights Watch. Indeed, records suggest that the Lords encouraged this practice, as it gave men and women valuable fighting experience. Therefore when Brandon led the company into the hills of Andalos, his company numbered some 8000 men. With them was a small number of wargs, with records suggesting as many as 200.

 

This was the first time wargs were used for military purposes and the results were devastating. The Company utterly defeated the Pentoshi infantry within three days of finding them. Not a single survivor of the battalions the Pentoshi sent to attack Braavos ever returned. Instead a month later, The Company of The Rose appeared at the gates of Pentos, and forced the citied into siege conditions. In the North the Braavosi defeated the Pentoshi armada and swept south and towards Pentos. When news came of their armadas defeat, the cities magister surrendered to The Company. Brandon accepted their surrender and took ten percent of the cities wealth as his price for peace. The Company’s actions in this war gave the company a reputation to be feared and contracts began to flow in, and with the contracts came the gold. Brandon died two years after he took Pentos in 12A.C. He was 55 when he passed.

When Brandon died there was a small period of uncertainty for the company as Brandon had left no clear successor, nor way of determining one. He had left behind a group of captains who he trusted explicitly, but they numbered 40 and there could only be one Captain General. In the end, this group of captains decided to have it ruled on by voting from within the Company’s ranks. The soldiers voted for Osric Snow to take the mantle. Osric was young when he took the mantle and led the company for the next 35 years. Under his leadership the company expanded to 10,000 men, though apart from that he did little to distinguish his rule. He died in 48A.C.

After Osric came the man who would change the company forevermore. Brandon Bloodstark was a younger cousin of the then Lord of Winterfell, . He had taken the name Bloodstark after being granted a keep, however he sold his titles to a neighbouring lord and brought a manse within Braavos. Many suggest that Brandon Bloodstark planned to seize control of the company and turn its leadership into one of succession. If Brandon’s actions in later years were anything to go by this was most likely true.

Immediately after coming to power Brandon Bloodstark began a recruitment drive, and changed the requirements to join. Where once only Northerners could join, now any Westerosi or Braavosi was allowed to join. Brandon also sent out recruiters back to Westeros to recruit men, much in the same fashion as the wandering crows of the Night’s Watch.

This recruitment drive rapidly increased the ranks of The Company and within three years of Brandon’s rule, the Company has swelled by another 5000 men.

Furthermore, Brandon has also made contact with the then Lord of House Greyjoy, Quellon, and organised for a small force of his Iron Islanders to also serve with the Company. Quellon Greyjoy sent 30 ships to Braavos to serve with the company, and the Northmen and Iron Islanders complimented each other’s skills.

Shortly after Brandon had finished building The Company up, an opportunity arose to test the new Company’s mettle in battle. Lorath and Pentos has formed an alliance and convinced Ibben to join them in an invasion of Braavos. Facing attacks from North, South and East, Braavos once again turned to the Company of the Rose, though this time Brandon Bloodstark has other plans. He refused to fight for Braavos unless they offered The Company a long term contract, promising stable pay in exchange for permanent protection.

 

The Sealord and Brandon Bloodstark spent almost a week negotiating the treaty, a treaty that became known as the Bloodstark accords. The treaty was signed for the duration of 100 years and it promised that The Company would always support Braavos in exchange for a consistent income.

 

Thus pleased, Brandon took his 15,000 men and split them into two hosts. 5000 of his men, including most of his wargs, were ordered to hold the Andalos foothills at all costs. Meanwhile, his other host of 10,000 men, supplemented by their Greyjoy fleey, and led by Brandon himself marched on Lorath, while the Braavosi fleet sailed into the shivering sea to stop Ibben from reinforcing the city.

Brandon arrived at Lorath within two weeks and fought a bloody battle for the city that he ultimately won. His troops were given free reign over the city and sacked it brutally. It is estimated that almost a third of the city’s population was killed in the sack that lasted for almost a week. When Brandon eventually left it was said the city burned for a month afterwards.

Brandon Bloodstark took his bloodied host south, marching into the andalos foothills where he met up with rest of his forces. The battles they had already fought lost Brandon 3000 of his men, but undeterred he marched on Pentos again.

Once again, Pentos fell to the Company of the Rose, and once again a tenth of the cities wealth was seized.

Brandon went back to Braavos with his bounty and settled into his manse. It was sometime during his stay in his manse that he began to take down his rivals within The Company. He began with such secrecy that to this day no one knows who Brandon was actually responsible for killing and who died due to other reasons. Brandon’s undoing came when he attempted to murder Jon Umber, who survived the cutthroats that were sent to kill him and managed to capture one of them alive. Jon Umber was already suspicious of the Bloodstark, as in year he had lost many friends who were vocal critics of Brandon Bloodstark. Thus, when he was attacked he knew it was not just sheer coincidence. Jon Umber tortured the truth out of the cutthroat and then confronted Brandon in front of all of the captains. Unfortunately for Jon, out of the 40 captains present 33 were loyal to Brandon Bloodstark. Jon was attacked as he began to accuse Brandon, but escaped with his life. Brandon declared Jon to be a traitor to the Company, and ordered him to be found and killed. Unfortunately for Brandon, Jon was very popular with the common soldiers within the army. In a stunning turn of the tables, Jon turned The Company on Brandon, though much of the command and elite soldiers remained loyal to Brandon.

The company had been split in two, and Brandon was holed up in his manse, unable to leave. Tensions within Braavos remained high, and in a bid to diffuse the tension, the Sealord called the Lord of Winterfell, Walton Stark, to Braavos to resolve the matter. The Lord of Winterfell came and took both Brandon Bloodstark and Jon Umber back to the North. A new Captain General was installed, a certain Cley Cerwyn. Cley dragged the company back from the factional infighting and rebuilt it and expanded on Brandon Bloodstarks plans.

As for Jon Umber and Brandon Bloodstark both returned to the North. Jon Umber to Last Hearth and Brandon Bloodstark to serve on The Wall. Brandon’s son, Barthogan, was given back the keep his father sold. To this day, House Umber and Bloodstark are fiercest foes, and their rivalry is renknowned throughout the seven kingdoms. Cregan Stark himself said he would rather deal with a Blackwood and Bracken than a Bloodstark and Umber.

After the Bloodstark affair, The Company entered many years of peace and prosperity further supporting Braavos in all wars they waged, and providing constant protection. The numbers grew even further, and their prestige grew within the Iron Islands, were the Old Ways were forbidden under Targaryen rule. Many a young, hotblooded, Iron Born joined the many ships that were heading East to join the company. Many of them enjoyed the raiding lifestyle the Company provided, and through the company Greyjoy-Stark relations were greatly enhanced.

By 150A.C., The Company’s power and wealth had surged dramatically, to the point where Braavos no longer kept a standing army, though they still kept a navy. Their troops numbered 20,000 men while The Company’s navy was 100 ships strong, and crewed by 2500 Ironborn.

The Company entered many conflicts over the next few years but it was their success against the Dothraki that is remembered as their most famous battle. The year was 204A.C, and Pentos was being threatened by a Dothraki horde that was 25,000 screamers strong.

Pentoshi delegates rushed to Braavos and begged the then Captain General, Addam Saltstark, to come to the cities defence. Addam Saltstark agreed and marshalled his forces and sailed them south upon his Ironborn fleet.

They landed in Pentos when the scouts suggested the Dothraki were a week away. Almost Immediately, Addam sent his men to work. His 20,000 troops began to dig a long and deep trench before their camp. Addam was very specific in the trench’s construction and when it was done, covered it in a thin layer of light wood and cloth covered with sand.

Complete with the trench, Addam assembled his troops directly behind it. A day later the Dothraki arrived and charged at the arrayed Company. Their horses thundered along the flat desert floor until the hit the trench. Upon contact with the first horseman the tarp began to fall away. The trench broke the momentum of the Dothraki charge, and wounded and killed many who were killed in the crush. While the Dothraki flailed Addam ordered a full advance and fell upon them. The fighting was bloody, but at the end of it, the Dothraki Khalasar was broken. Addam had killed 2 of the Khals bloodriders himself and a score more other dothraki, but he succumbed to the wounds that had been inflicted upon him, and died three days later.

To date, this is the only known instance of the Dothraki being beaten upon the open field by a sellsword company. It had been done by Unsullied before at Qohor, but never sellswords. This greatly increased the prestige of the company and after this not a war went by that the Company was not involved in one way or the other.

After Addam Saltstark, Maege Mormont became the first Mormont and first female to become the Captain General of the Company of the Rose.

The Company continued growing and strengthening itself over the next few years, and by the beginning of Rickard’s Rebellion in 283A.C, the Company numbered 30,000 men and 300 ships crewed by almost 8500 Ironborn.


	8. The History of the Winter Wolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The History of the Winter Wolves
> 
> By Maester KingOfWinter.

THE WINTER WOLVES

The Winter Wolves were founded in 130A.C by Cregan Stark and Roderick Dustin in response to the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. Cregan Stark had been convinced to fight for the blacks after Prince Lucerys Velaryon flew to Winterfell to beseech the Stark’s to declare for the Blacks. Eventually Cregan and Lucerys made a deal involving a Targaryen princess, a pact called the Pact of Ice and Fire. This pact, and Cregan’s intervention were a gross breach of the Bloody Sanctions, and the first time anyone had broken the sanctions.

Cregan called one of his closest advisors and friends to Winterfell and gave him charge of 2000 cavalry to fight with. The cavalry gathered at Barrowton, and from there Roderick Dustin led them on a rampage south through the Riverlands.

They led the attack and charged the Lannister spearmen five times in the battle by the Lakeshore, with two-thirds of the northmen killed or wounded in their victory. In the Butcher's Ball, Lord Dustin sounded the charge of the northmen and their river knight allies against Ser Criston the Kingmaker.

Screaming northern war cries, the surviving Winter Wolves rode from a postern gate in the first Battle of Tumbleton. Although outnumbered ten to one, Roderick led the northmen to strike at Lord Ormund Hightower. Roddy the Ruin managed to slay Lord Ormund and Ser Bryndon Hightower before succumbing to his wounds.

Cregan was said to be wroth when he heard of Rodrick’s death, and came south with his own retinue to take King’s Landing. When he arrived, the city had already fallen and Aegon denied him the terms of the Pact of Ice and Fire. This only served to further infuriate the already angry Lord, and he publicy shamed Aegon by calling him “Aegon the Oathbreaker”, a name that has stuck within the North.

Cregan served as hand for six days, a period of time known as the hour of the wolf, where he executed all the suriving Greens and Blacks, before marching home.

Cregan’s time in the south was said to have turned him into a bitter man, though Cregan channelled this bitterness into forging the North into a greater nation. It was under Cregan’s leadership that the tunnels were found, excavated and mapped. It was also under Cregan’s leadership that are more permenant military arm was formed, the Winter Wolves.

Cregan begun by finding 5000 volunteers to form the backbone of this army. He built them a fort in Mount Starpoint, though importantly they were barred from entering the Mountain, and seeing the grove. He equipped, armoured and trained the men who would serve for 10 years before being released from the contracts.

Over his lifetime, Cregan forged the Winter Wolves into an army 12,000 strong and built them headquarters in White Harbour, Moat Cailin, Winterfell and Mount Starpoint.

Their training, while not as rigorous or demanding as that of the Weirwood Warriors is still formidable and can best be compared to the training of a sellsword within the Company of the Rose. Indeed, many of the Winter Wolves have served on the Company, in differing amouts of time.

Martyn Cassel, the captain of Winterfell’s household guard, was a captain within the Winter Wolves and also spent time with The Company.

The Winter Wolves are structured similarly to the Company, though they have a Lord Commander instead of a Captain General.

The Lord Commander is always the current head of House Stark.


	9. The History of the White Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The History of the White Eye
> 
> By Maester KingOfWinter.

THE WHITE EYE

The White Eye’s founding is shrouded in mystery and unknowns. No one knows when the Eye was first formed, or by who, but it is agreed that the Eye was formed in response to Bloody Brandon the Blessed’s Bloody Accords.

No one knows when the group first began operating, though the earliest recorded assassination was made by the group in 37A.C., though records suggest that they were responsible for a number of high level heists in Braavos, Pentos and King’s Landing from 12A.C. onwards.

No one knows how the group is structured, though it is generally believed that there is one White Eye, so as to speak.  It is believed that the White Eye is person, rather than the group, and the group is actually wargs that act alone, though can pick up jobs from the White Eye.

The White Eye has been in a long running conflict with the Warg Legions of the North. Neither side seems to gain much ground, though in times of crisis for the North, the groups have been known to work together.

This was best demonstrated in 166A.C., when the faith of the seven, convinced then king, Baelor ‘the blessed’ Targaryen, to allow the High Septon to reinstate the faith militant. The faith had been worried for many years about the growing influence of the Old Gods, especially within the Riverlands, which had traditionally been strong supporters of the Seven. As Weirwoods grew, and the numbers of Green Men in the south swelled, the High Speton beseeched the king to be allowed to deal with this threat.

Baelor agreed, and allowed the High Septon to declare a Holy War on the North. The High Septon gathered 30,000 men to march on Moat Cailin. They were led by Ser Baelor Hightower and Ser Jonothor Connington.

Their host marched through the Riverlands and stopped before Raventree Hall, where they attempted to take the keep. Lord Blackwood had heard of their coming however, and requested assistance from the Stark’s.

The Stark’s had sent 5000 men south to garrison his castle, and furthermore, Lord Tully had also provided 500 men as well.

Deterred from attacking Raventree Hall due to the presence of Lord Tully, Ser Baelor moved his men on and marched on Moat Cailin.

Moat Cailin had been fully restored in the days of Cregan Stark, though it had been under various stages of construction since the days of Torrhen Stark, the King Who Knelt. The castle was a formidable sight, and further manned by 8000 Winter Wolves, along with 3000 of House Stark’s own men. House Manderly had also committed 1500 troops to the Castle’s defence.

Ser Baelor’s problems began the second he entered the neck. The Crannogmen waged a guerrilla war against his forces, and he is estimated to have lost almost 3000 men in the march up the kingsroad.

The most important of these men was Ser Jonother Connington who was hit by a dart as they reached the gates of Moat Cailin.

The narrow causeway also proved to be Ser Baelor’s undoing as many of his men fell into the boggy swamps, never to be seen again. By the time the faith militant host reached Moat Cailin, they numbered 25,000 men. Their trek through the neck had lost them 5000 men, and one of their commanders.

Confident in the strength of his gods, Ser Baelor gave a rousing speech to his troops, and led them on a charge up the causeway.

They were slaughtered.

Eventually, someone gave the order to retreat, but the cost had been massive. Of the 30,000 men who entered the Neck, only 3000 would emerge and Ser Baelor Hightower was not one of them. Those 3000 would come face to face with the host of Northmen that had been sent to assist Lord Blackwood. They engaged in battle just North of the Twins, and it ended in a Northern victory.

Baelor the Blessed died three days after this battle, from a spider bite. The White Eye made it public knowledge that they were responsible for Baelor’s death, and that the North was theirs, and that to attack it would be to court death.

Baelor’s heir, Viserys II, claimed the throne, and immediately banned the Faith Militant. He held the throne form 166A.C, to 172A.C. This affair broke the strength of the Faith of the Seven, and incoming Targaryen kings continued to distance themselves from a faith that was shrinking in influence.

The White Eye is also notorious for its skewed sense of honour. Before the White Eye kills someone they let them know that a contract has been taken out against them by providing them with a black slip of paper with a white eye drawn in the middle. This is often delivered by a raven, and once received it is agreed that the recipient has about a week left to live.

The White Eye was also active during Rickard’s Rebellion, taking out a contract upon Aerys Targaryen. The contract was left unfulfilled as Jamie Lannister killed Aerys before the contract could be fulfilled.


	10. The Bloody Accords.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Bloody Accords.
> 
> By Maester KingOfWinter.

THE BLOODY ACCORDS

The Bloody Accords were written by Brandon Snow throughout the duration of his life. He began the Accords in 1A.C and is believed to have finished them in 12A.C, shortly before his death. They completed accords were returned to Winterfell along with Brandon’s body, and have a place of pride in the solar of the Lord of Winterfell.

The Accords have never been seen by the Maesters, so we cannot determine what is and is not in the accords.

It is generally agreed however that the Accords rule on the relationship between House Stark and it’s vassals, House Stark and the South, The North and the South, The Company of the Rose and House Stark, The Company of the Rose and Westeros and a set of laws detailing what actions wargs can and cannot do.

Not everyone agrees with the Bloody Accords, with the most famous group being the White Eye.

The private records of Cregan Stark however, suggest that he was not a fan of the accords either, and it is believed that this thinking led Cregan Stark to break the accords during the Dance of the Dragons.

Cregan is said to have regretted breaking the accords after the dance, particularly on the day he received the news that Rodrick Dustin had passed away.

The accords were broken again in 283A.C., when Rickard’s Rebellion again. Rickard’s Rebellion was the worst breach of the accords to date.

It is unknown whether or not the accords will apply to the White Wolf.


End file.
